title: Assessment of the right and left ventricular function in patients with cor pulmonale using high-definition CT.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cor pulmonale is often associated with changes of structure and function of the right ventricle (RV) and thus further affects functional changes of the left heart. Our study aimed to assess the left ventricular (LV) and RV function in patients with cor pulmonale using high-definition CT (HDCT).
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively studied 18 cor pulmonale patients determined by the pulmonary function test, clinical examination, chest radiograph, electrocardiogram, and echocardiogram. The subject group was compared to a control group consisting of 18 subjects. The RV and LV functions and RV myocardial mass (MM) were obtained by HDCT in the two groups. The results were compared between the two groups using the independent sample t test. Echocardiographic examination for cardiac function analysis was performed on the same day.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The RV end-diastolic volume (EDV), RV end-systolic volume (ESV) and RV myocardial mass were significantly larger in the 18 cor pulmonale patients than in the control group (P < 0.05). The right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) was significantly lower in the 18 cor pulmonale patients than in controls (P < 0.01). The left ventricular EDV (LVEDV) and LVEF were significantly lower in cor pulmonale patients than in controls (P < 0.01). There were strong correlations between MDCT and echocardiography, rRVEF = 0.839 and rLVEF = 0.916, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HDCT can accurately quantify RV and LV function. The right ventricular function is impaired in patients with cor pulmonale, while at the same time the left ventricular function is also impaired.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Xiang-ying
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: DU
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Kun-cheng
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011660:Pulmonary Heart Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013318:Stroke Volume; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left; D016278:Ventricular Function, Right